Thai PM says he will speak to Trump late Friday on Cambodia clashes

BANGKOK – Thailand’s Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said on Dec 12 he was scheduled to speak to US President Donald Trump late in ‍the ​day, as border clashes between Cambodia and ‍Thailand continued for a fifth day.   

Mr Anutin told reporters that the call with Mr Trump would ​take ​place at about 9.20pm.  

Mr Trump is keen to intervene again to stop the fighting and salvage a ceasefire he brokered earlier in 2025, pledging for a third day to make calls to the leaders ​of both countries to try ⁠to stop the fighting. 

Thai Foreign Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow spoke with his US counterpart Marco Rubio on Dec 12 ahead of the planned call, Thailand’s Foreign Ministry said.

Mr Sihasak told Mr Rubio that Thailand was committed to a peaceful resolution, but said sustainable peace must be backed up by actions and genuine commitment, the ministry said in a statement, adding that Mr Rubio confirmed the readiness of the United States to constructively promote peace.

At the Congressional Ball late on Dec 11, Mr Trump burnished his credentials as a global peacemaker and expressed confidence that he would get the truce “back on ​track”. 

“We’ve solved eight wars. Think of it. Eight wars have been solved, although... I think we are ​going to have to make a couple of phone calls on Thailand and (Cambodia), but we’ll get that one back on track,” he said. 

The militaries of Thailand and Cambodia have been fighting at multiple locations along their 817km-long border in some of the most intense fighting since a five-day ‍battle in July that Mr Trump stopped with calls to both leaders ​to halt their worst conflict in recent history. 

At least 20 people have been killed ​and more than 200 others wounded, with hundreds of ‌thousands of people displaced by days-long exchanges of heavy artillery and rocket fire. REUTERS